Month: April 2013

Last Wednesday, April 24th, a special notice came from Community Board 2 Chair David Gruber outlining the agenda for the next meeting of the Parks/Waterfront Committee on Wednesday, May 1st, stating topics of discussion including:

Washington Square Park: Introduction to the new Administrator, Sarah Nielson, for discussion of park-related projects and issues, including status of Phase 3 renovations, PEP officer staffing, and planned creation of a Conservancy.

Later that week, I was told that the Parks Department had told the board that they wouldn’t attend if the Conservancy was on the agenda. When I heard this, I felt that “the clock is ticking” on this topic of discussion, but, perhaps, a separate full Community Board hearing on the matter (as the board did with the performance issue when it cropped up in 2011) was in order anyway. Yet, the more I thought about it, of course, it serves the Parks Department if the discussion is pushed far into the future so that it becomes a done deal. The Parks Department made their bed — now they have to lie in it.

Behind Closed Doors

Discussions related to “the creation” of a Conservancy were all done behind closed doors (as I first wrote April 15th at the Huffington Post). Sunday’s New York Post confirmed this: “Park officials met privately with the nonprofit’s founders because they feared a public backlash could halt talks, one insider said.”

It is astounding. So, “four [wealthy] women” work behind the community’s and elected officials’ backs to create a private Conservancy, having decided that is what Washington Square Park needs, while ignoring overwhelming community sentiment which says just the opposite.

Working “with” the community while ignoring them?

Justine Leguizamo, actor John Leguizamo’s wife, one of the people involved, is on the board of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation(GVSHP) and I gather that is supposed to give her credentials. She told The Post, “We want the park to be clean, safe and beautiful… We want to work with the community to make this park as great as it can be.”

It’s curious… if Ms. Leguizamo “wanted to work with the community,” why did she agree to discussions behind closed doors? Why wasn’t the community consulted first?

And, as much respect as I have for much of GVSHP’s work, when it came to Washington Square Park, the organization took no position on anything related to the redesign, including the moving of the park’s historic fountain. In fact, George Vellonakis, the park’s controversial redesigner, had served on their board. So, unfortunately, we cannot count them as an ally here — both Elizabeth Ely and Justine Leguizamo, two of the “four women” involved in the Conservancy who met secretly with the Parks Department, are on their board.

Non-profit needed to plant daffodils?

As long-time park advocate Jonathan Greenberg said to me, “I … wonder why these things cannot happen with a professionally staffed, sufficiently funded public agency: The Parks Department. They do not require a private non-profit to plant daffodils or run an art program.”

I’ve started to think that the Parks Department has a self esteem problem and the agency doesn’t believe that they can run a public city park anymore – but note to Parks Department: tho’ I may have been critical of you at times, you are preferred to a private Conservancy!

What happened to a Transparent Process?

When I contacted Former Community Board 2 Chair Brad Hoylman, now New York State Senator (representing the Village) for his thoughts on the conservancy model, he responded: “I’m not supportive of conservancies in general for parks because I think that the design, operations and management of public parks should remain transparent and accountable to the local communities they serve. The conservancy model has a tendency to undermine these goals.”

In addition, Council Member Alan Gerson told me specifically that if such a thing were to be considered, that this would be “open and transparent, subject to community input and normal oversight.”

Qualifications of New Park Administrator Unknown

It’s unclear what credentials new park Administrator, Sarah Neilson, has beyond having been a “staff analyst” in the Capital Projects Division at the Parks Department since 2010. That does not exactly utilize the same skills as running and managing a city park. Requests for this information from the Parks Department have gone unanswered.

I attempted to attend Ms. Neilson’s so-called “Arch Hours,” as announced (only) in The Villager, yesterday (“she encourages you to stop by and say hello,” stated Bill Castro). She was supposed to be there Monday from 11 a.m. to 12 noon, one hour. Yes, it was lightly drizzling but nothing too overwhelming. I got there at 11:45; she had already left. I spoke to some Park workers, one of whom said, “Sarah, she was here, she just left.” He smiled, “She’s very nice.”

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Note: No formal announcement has been made to the change of agenda of the Parks Committee meeting tomorrow so here is the information:

William Castro, Manhattan Borough Parks Commissioner, has a featured “Talking Point” in this week’s Villager proclaiming why a Conservancy will keep Washington Square Park “looking good.” There is no mention of problems with funding for … Read more…

My second Huffington Post piece, Privatization of the Commons in Mayor Bloomberg’s New York — Part II: Who has Control?: Greg Miller is Executive Director and Founder of Dance Parade, a not-for-profit cultural organization which … Read more…

updated NYU’s student-run Shakespeare Company, Shakespeare in the Square, will present “The Taming of the Shrew” this weekend Saturday, April 27th and Sunday, April 28th. Originally scheduled for Washington Square’s Garibaldi Plaza, where they have … Read more…

So, I first mentioned this in my Huffington Post piece, Privatization of the Commons in Mayor Bloomberg’s New York (Part I) last Monday, the fact that a private conservancy has been formed at Washington Square … Read more…

My first piece at the Huffington Post, Privatization of the Commons in Mayor Bloomberg’s New York – Part I, ran yesterday, April 15, 2013. Part II is coming soon! “The town square … may well … Read more…

A cherry blossom tree, the magnolia tree, and more are struggling to survive this spring at Washington Square in the aftermath of a fire that occurred at the Park in January, when discarded Christmas trees, left … Read more…

While searching for more information on Dave Chappelle’s association with Washington Square Park, I came upon the story of comedian Charlie Barnett who died 17 years ago last month. Barnett captivated countless people from all … Read more…

Pillow Fight Day NYC was held at Washington Square Park (not the first time) on Saturday, April 6th. I’m on the more ‘lenient’ end as far as uses of our parks and public spaces and I endorse … Read more…

This photo captures the community and park goers’ happy victory with stopping cars from traveling through Washington Square Park in 1958 tho’ it was actually April of 1959 when “the square” was closed to all … Read more…

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For my Activist Friends

Realize that little things lead to bigger things ... And there's a wonderful parable in the New Testament: The sower scatters seeds. Some seeds fall in the pathway and get stamped on, and they don't grow. Some fall on the rocks, and they don't grow. But some seeds fall on fallow ground, and they grow and multiply a thousandfold. Who knows where some good little thing that you've done may bring results years later that you never dreamed of.
~ Pete Seeger